3121

1839-O $2 1/2 MS62 NGC. Low Date, Close Fraction. Bree

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:10,500.00 USD Estimated At:1.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1839-O $2 1/2 MS62 NGC. Low Date, Close Fraction. Bree
<B>1839-O<$2 1/2> MS62 NGC.</B></I> Low Date, Close Fraction. Breen-6153, McCloskey-B, R.4. Despite a mintage of less than 18,000 examples, this issue is available, if scarce, in Mint State. Perhaps the obverse mintmark--very much a new phenomenon in U.S. coinage, promulgated by three branch mints during this year--led to examples being saved, although several C- and D-mint issues from 1838 and 1839 are still extremely elusive in Mint State. This is a popular one-year type coin, and the only O-mint quarter eagle with the Classic Head obverse design.<BR> This piece is the Low Date, Close Fraction variety, which is a bit more elusive than the High Date, Wide Fraction variant. Although many pieces encountered are weakly struck on the hair below the coronet and on the eagle's left (facing) wing and claws, this example shows weakness in neither of those places; in fact, the <I>strike is delectably bold throughout both sides.</B></I> Much luster radiates from the pleasing yellow-gold surfaces. Like some other examples of this issue, this piece is <I>struck in medallic turn rather than coin turn,</B></I> with the top of the head of the eagle opposite the top of the head of Liberty. A light die crack runs from the left serif of the first A in AMERICA, through the right (facing) wing and the neck. Although neither service breaks down the surviving population into the two varieties, this piece could conceivably be among the top survivors of this scarcer variety.